Device for treating cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device ( 1 ) for treating cells for stimulating cell growth, comprising a unit ( 2 ) for generating and emitting electric pulses and an electric field resulting therefrom, and a treatment space ( 3 ) that can be penetrated by the emitted electric pulses, wherein the device ( 1 ) further comprises a unit ( 4, 9 ) which can be moved into and out of said treatment space ( 3 ) such that cell material provided within a compartment ( 4 a ) of said unit ( 4 ), or provided in a container ( 5 ) on or in said unit ( 4, 9 ), can be moved into and out of said treatment space ( 3 ), and wherein said treatment space ( 3 ) is provided between two electrodes ( 2 a, 2 b ) or plates of a capacitor parallel to each other.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A device, comprising a unit for generating and emitting electric pulses, and one treatment space that can be penetrated by the emitted electric pulses and an electric field resulting therefrom, wherein the device further comprises a unit which can be moved into and out of said treatment space such that a cell material provided within a compartment of said unit, or provided in a container on or in said unit, can be moved into and out of said treatment space, and wherein said treatment space is provided between two electrodes or plates of a capacitor parallel to each other. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the unit is provided on a motor for generating a rotational movement. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the unit is a plate or a conveying device arranged on said motor for generating a rotational movement, on which plate or conveying device the at least one container can be fastened. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein 1 to 20 containers can be arranged on the unit. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the unit is a body which has at least one compartment for receiving cell material and is arranged on said motor for generating a rotational movement. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein 1 to 20 compartments are arranged in the unit. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the device furthermore comprises a filling unit for filling cell material into the at least one compartment or the at least one container. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the device furthermore comprises an emptying unit for removing cell material from the at least one compartment or the at least one container. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the unit for generating and emitting electric pulses comprises two electrodes or plates of a capacitor and can generate electric pulses, so that a voltage increase takes place between the two electrodes of 10% to 90% of a tar-get voltage of the electric pulses within a period of 0.1 to 1000 ns, the electric pulses have a pulse duration of 5 ns to 50000 ns, and the electric pulses, upon reaching the target voltage, have an electric field strength of 0.5 kV/cm to 100 kV/cm. 
     
     
         26 . A method for treating cells for stimulating cell growth, performed in a device according to  claim 17 , comprising the steps:
 a) providing a cell material in at least one compartment of a unit or at least one container on or in a unit;   b) applying an electric field to the treatment space of the device; and   c) performing a movement of the unit into the treatment space.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the cell material is provided in the at least one compartment of the unit or at least one container on or in the unit as a suspension in an electrically conductive liquid. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the cell material is provided through a filling unit to the at least one compartment of the unit or at least one container on or in the unit. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein a rotational movement of the at least one compartment of the unit or at least one container on or in the unit into the treatment space is realized by moving the unit through the treatment space. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein when the unit has been moved into the treatment space, movement of the unit is stopped for a period of treatment of the cell material that is present in the treatment space. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein an electric field is applied with such electric pulses, so that a voltage increase takes place between the two electrodes or plates of a capacitor of 10% to 90% of a target voltage of the electric pulses within a period of 0.1 to 1000 ns, the electric pulses have a pulse duration of 5 ns to 50000 ns, and the electric pulses, upon reaching the target voltage, have an electric field strength of 0.5 kV/cm to 100 kV/cm.